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Period: to
Important U.S. events
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Signing of Declaration of Independence
The United States delcared its independence from Great Britian -
First U.S. Flag approved
Continental Congress approves first official flag of the U.S. -
Articles of Confederation ratified
The first set of laws for the United States -
U.S. Constitution ratified
Uniteds States drafts the Constitiution in place of the Articles of Confederations -
First U.S. President elected
George Washington becomes the first President of the United States -
Bill of Rights ratified
First ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, are ratified -
U.S capital moved to Washington DC
U.S. capital moved from Philadelphia to Washinton DC -
Thomas Jeffereson elected president
Thomas Jefferson is inaugurated as the third president in Washington, DC -
Louisiana Purchase
The U.S. purchases a large amount of land west of the MIssissippi River from the French -
Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific
The Lewis and Clark Expedition team reach the Pacific Ocean -
War of 1812
The U.S, goes to war with Great Britian -
Star-Spangled Banner is written
Francis Scott Key writes Star-Spangled Banner as he watches British attack on Fort McHenry at Baltimore -
U.S obtains Florida
Spains agrees to cede Florida to the U.S -
Texas declares its Independence from Mexico
Texas declares Independence from Mexico -
Cherokee Indian march
More than 15,000 Cherokee Indians are forced to march from Georgia to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Approximately 4,000 die from starvation and disease along the “Trail of Tears" -
Texas annexed
Texas joins the United States -
Mexican-U.S War
The United States goes to war with Mexico in hopes to gain territory -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed
Mexico recognizes Rio Grande as new boundary with Texas and, for $15 million, agrees to cede territory comprising present-day California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. -
California Gold rush reaches it height
The California Gold rush reaches it height during this year -
Compromise of 1850
The continuing debate whether territory gained in the Mexican War should be open to slavery is decided in the Compromise of 1850: California is admitted as a free state, Utah and New Mexico territories are left to be decided by popular sovereignty, and the slave trade in Washington, DC, is prohibited. It also establishes a much stricter fugitive slave law, than the original, passed in 1793. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin published
Harriet Beecher Stowe's, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is published.It becomes one of the most influential works to stir anti-slavery sentiments. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Congress passes the Kansas-Nebraska Act, establishing the territories of Kansas and Nebraska -
Abraham Lincoln elected president
Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th president of the U.S. The South secedes about a month later -
The South secedes from the Union
The Southern states decided to seperate from the Nothern states because they want to keep slavery -
The Cival War begins
The Union and Confederate States go to war -
Battle of Gettysburg
The bloodiest battle of the Civil War is fought -
Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address -
Emancipation Proclomation issued
Emancipation Proclamation is issued, freeing slaves in the Confederate states -
Chicago Fire
Chicago fire kills 300 and leaves 90,000 people homeless -
Sitting Bulls leads Sioux agains Custer
Lt. Col. George A. Custer's regiment is wiped out by Sioux Indians under Sitting Bull at the Little Big Horn River, Mont